Apparatus for testing thin rubber articles



Jun 1, 1943. J. R. GAMMETER 2,320,516

APPARATUS FOR TESTING THIN RUBBER ARTICLES Filed April 27, 1940 INVENTOR. J'oH/v R. GAm/w: ran.

Patented June 1, 1943 APPARATUS FOR TESTING THIN RUBBER ARTICLES John R. Gammeter, Akron, Ohio Application April 27, 1940, Serial No. 332,008

2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for testing thin rubber articles for defects, and in particular, relates to improved mechanism for classifying such tested articles.

An object of the invention is to provide in apparatus of the character described improved means for effectively and efiiciently classifying a succession of articles.

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawing.

The present invention embodies improvements on the testing apparatus shown and described in copending application Serial No. 226,112, filed August 22, 1938, now Patent No. 2,221,323, dated Nov. 12, 1940.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view, partly broken away and in section, illustrating the apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the numeral l designates a suitable table about the periphery of which there is arranged an annulus H which revolves about the table I 0. The details of construction for supporting table Ill and for revolving the annulus l I are substantially the same as disclosed in the forementioned copending application. The annulus ll carries thereon a circumferential series of equally spaced form mountings I2 in which are journalled electro-conductive forms l3, these forms being so shaped as to receive the articles A to be tested and to hold them in distended unwrinkled condition.

The forms l3 are arranged to be rotated while passing through the testing device, indicated generally at [5. To this end each form is provided with a pinion I6 for engaging a rack ll, fixed on an arcuate plate 18 mounted on table II], whereby rotation of the annulus II about table ID will cause the forms to rotate. The forms are arranged in upwardly inclined relation to table Ill to facilitate placing the articles A thereon at an article-applying station (not shown).

The testing device I is electrically operated for manifesting defective goods. This unit, best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, comprises an electric conductor element l5 connected to a source of high tension electricity in the manner disclosed in the forementioned copending application, the element I B being adapted to be engaged by the articles A on the forms [3, and to shape about and conform to the shape of the article along the length thereof and down about the end of the article. The forms l3 are electrically connected in a high tension circuit (not shown) with the element [5 so that a high electrical potential is present between the element and the form l3 thereunder, this circuit being broken only by the non-conducting articles A. As described in the forementioned copending application, this potential is sufficient to leap an air gap of thickness of the articles A, but normally insufficient to pierce the goods. When the articles have thin spots or are under gauge, or have pin holes therein, current will flow through the high tension circuit,

A fine mesh flexible fabric, such as is used in womens handbags, has been found to. be most satisfactory for use as the element [5 The flexible element I 5 is supported in sagging relation, substantially as shown in Figure 3, by being secured along the radial edges thereof to spaced supporting members I9, IS, the latter being secured to an upright portion lll of table II], through insulated connections IS Is A transparent glass plate le is mounted over element 15 between the members I 9, to protect workmen against accidental contact with the element.

Slidably received through each form mounting l2 may be a plunger having a head 2!] extending outwardly of annulus H and a head 20 extending inwardly of the annulus. This plunger 20 which is normally in the full-line position shown in Figures 1 and 2, will be shifted inwardly to the chain-dotted position shown in Figure 2 when the testing device l5 manifests the presence of imperfect goods on the form. Associated with the element It: is an electromagnet 22, which may be supported on an annular guard plate 23 supported on brackets 23 secured to the under side of table I 0, the electromagnet being arranged to be substantially adjacent the path of the head 20 of plunger 20. The electromagnet 22 may be of a type having spaced poles 22 22 for attracting an armature 24 pivotally mounted at 25 adjacent the inner side of the electromagnet. The armature 24 is normally held out of engagement with the poles 22 when the electromagnet is deenergized, by means of a spring 26. Secured tothe armature 24 may be an inwardly extending arm or lever 21, this arm being shaped to extend generally in the direction of the path of the plunger head 2%, but normally held out of engagement with said head when the electromagnet 22 is deenergized (see Figures 1 and 4). The electromagnet 22 is energized by electrical current in said high potential circuit passing from the element [5 through the defect in the goods, and through the form 13 to complete the circuit, the electromagnet remaining energized until the circuit is broken by means to be described. Energizing the electromagnet 22 swings the armature 24 on its pivot 25 to engage across the poles 22, thereby swinging the arm 21 inwardly into the path of the plunger-heads 20 of theform having the defective article thereon (see Figure 1). The electromagnet 22 is so associated with the element l5 that the arm 21 will engage the plunger 20 of the form just after it passes out of contact with the element and before the next succeeding form having goods thereon to be tested moves into contact with said element.

Associated with the electromagnet 22 and testing device I5 is a micro-switch 29, having a control button 30 engageable by a lever 31 pivoted at 32 against the yielding action of a spring 33 (see Figure 5). Fixed on the pivot pin 32, to which lever 3| also is fixed, may be a downwardly extending arm 34, a portion of this arm extending downwardly to be engageable by the heads of plunger 20, when the same have been moved inwardly of the annulus II by action of the electromagnet 22, thereby to actuate the switch 29 after the arm 21 of the electromagnet has had suflicient time to shift a plunger 20 inwardly as described. Engagement of arm 34 by head 20 to actuate switch 34, resets the forementioned high potential circuit for testing another article on a form entering the zone of the testing device 15, the electromagnet thereby being deenergized to allow arm 21 to be moved by spring from the path of the lunger-heads 20 The length of the arm 21 may be such as to insure positive shifting of the plunger 20 of one form which has just passed out of association with the testing element [5 before the next succeeding form has moved under the element. Similarly, the arm 34 of switch 29 is so positioned as to be actuated before the articles on successive forms are moved into engagement with element [5 In the operation of the apparatus, the annulus H is continuously rotated about the table in to move the forms l3 into association with the testing device [5 in succession, articles A to be tested having been slipped over the forms in distended unwrinkled condition by a previous operation. The forms are so spaced that only one can be in contact with the element 15* at a given time. If perfect goods are on the forms the electromagnet 22 will remain deenergized, the arm or lever 21 then being in the full-line position shown in Figure 1, whereby the plunger 20 will remain in the normal inoperative positions shown in full-lines in Figures 1 and 2. The annulus ll carries the forms toward a series of stations (not shown) such as an article-discarding station where imperfect goods are discarded, an article-branding station, and an article-discharging station where the perfect goods tested and branded are discharged or rolled for packing and shipment, substantially in the manner described in said copending application, Serial No. 226,112.

When a form having an imperfect article thereon passes under the element I5 electromagnet 22 is energized to swing the arm 21 into the path of the plunger-head 2t) associated with said form. Arm 21 will then engage head 20 to urge the plunger 20 inwardly to position the head 23* for engagement with arm 34 th latter being actuated to reset the high potential circuit connected to the element 15*, preparatory to testing an article on the next succeeding form passing under the element. Thus the presence of imperfectgocds on a form will be manifested by the testing device 15 causing the plunger 20 to be shifted inwardly, as shown in chain-dotted lines in Figure 2. The plungers are thus set for engagement with suitable means for controlling certain subsequent operations, such as articlediscarding mechanism (not shown) which is operable to discard imperfect goods, article-branding mechanism (not shown) operable to prevent branding the forms from which the defective articles have been discarded, or other mechanisms used in preparing finished articles of the character described for packaging and shipment. Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for testing hollow dielectric articles for defects, comprising a conveyor, a plurality of spaced electro-conductive forms on said conveyor for receiving thereon articles to be tested in succession, an element of electro-conductive material applicable to said forms to shape about and conform to the surfaces thereof as they are carried past the element by said conveyor, the spacing between said forms being such that there will be an interim between the passing of each successive form from cooperative relation with said electro-conductive element and cooperative relation therewith of the next succeeding form, means for maintaining a high p tential of electricity between said electro-co-nductive element and a form in cooperative relation therewith sufficient to leap an air gap comparable to the thickness of an article on the form but of insufficient potential to pierce an article of normal thickness, shiftable elements mounted on said conveyor in association with each of said forms, each of said shiftable elements being shiftable from and toward a position in which a portion thereof extends to move along a defined path with movement of the conveyor, an elongate member shiftable to extend into said path longitudinally in the general direction thereof for engaging said shiftable elements to shift the same to positions for subsequent use as determined by testing the articles on the respective forms, means responsive to and operable by the presence of an article in predetermined condition on a form as manifested by said testing means to shift said elongate member into said defined path and thereby to engage and shift the corresponding shiftable element of the form to its position of subsequent use, and means including a part engageable by a shiftable ele ment shifted by said elongate member for subsequently resetting said last-named means and said testing means, said engageable part of said resetting means and the portion of said elongate member effectively engageable by said shiftable elements both being positioned to be engaged by the respective shiftable-elements during said interims in which no form is in cooperative relation with said electro-conductive element.

2. Apparatus for testing hollow dielectric articles fordefects, comprising a conveyor, 2. plurality of spaced electro-conductive forms on said conveyor for receiving thereon articles to be tested in succession, an element of flexible metallic mesh fabric applicable to said forms to shape about and conform to the surfaces thereof as they are carried past the element by said conveyor, the spacing between said forms being such that there will be an interim between the pass ing of each successive form from cooperative relation with said electro-conductive element and cooperative relation therewith of the next succeeding form, means for maintaining a high potential of electricity between said electro-conductive element and a form in cooperative relation therewith sufficient to leap an air gap comparable to the thickness of an article on the form but of insuflicient potential t pierce an article of normal thickness, shiftable elements mounted on said conveyor in association with each of said forms, each of said shiftable elements bein shiftable from and toward a position in which a portion thereof extends to move along a defined path with movement of the conveyor, an elongate member shiftable to extend into said path longitudinally in the general direction thereof for engaging said shiftable ele ments to shift the same to positions for subsequent use as determined by testing the articles on the respective forms, means responsive to and operable by the presence of an article in predetermined condition on a form as manifested by said testing means to shift said elongate member into said defined path and thereby to engage and shift the corresponding shiftable element of the form to its position of subsequent use, and means including a part engagea'ble by a shiftable element shifted by said elongate member for subsequently resetting said last-named means and said testing means, said engageable part of said resetting means and the portion of said elongate member eifectively engageable by said shiftable elements both being positioned to be engaged by the respective shiftable elements during said interims in which no form is in cooperative relation with said electro-conductive element.

JOHN R. GAMMETER. 

